World Nature Conservation Day
28th July marks the celebration of World Nature Conservation Day, observed every year across the globe. The day aims to create awareness about the importance of natural resources and their conservation. It’s no secret that the earth is currently facing several challenges due to increasing pollution and heavy consumption of non-renewable resources, but what people don’t know is just how much the construction industry contributes to this risk.
World Nature Conservation Day acknowledges the fact that a stable and productive society depends on a healthy environment, and that for the sake of current and future generations, we must all work to protect, conserve, and sustainably manage our natural resources. At Hawkland, we are observing World Nature Conservation Day because we are an ecological design and build company that prioritises the conservation and protection of the nature around our projects. We focus on low-carbon retrofit, utilising the latest developments in sustainable design and bio-based, carbon-sequestering materials - such as wood and hemp insulation and lime plaster - to leave no trace and endure for future generations.
As of right now, sustainable innovation is essential within UK construction because the industry has a huge environmental impact: from energy use, to emissions, to waste. The equipment often relies heavily on fossil fuels, and the shipping of materials is responsible for a large amount of carbon emissions. In fact, the UK buildings construction sector accounts for 45% of total carbon emissions, according to the IGPP (Institute of Government and Public Policy).
They say, “to a large extent, this is because the existing housing stock needs to be retrofitted to meet the minimum energy performance standard.”
The International Energy Agency estimates that direct building CO2 emissions need to fall by 50% by 2030 in order to reach net-zero. Net-zero is such an important target because C02 is a greenhouse gas - this means it absorbs radiation and prevents heat from escaping into the atmosphere. The Greenhouse Effect traps the sun’s heat, causing the Earth’s average global temperature to rise - known as global warming - ultimately causing climate change and negatively affecting the natural world around us.
Climate change is already having visible effects across the world. The Met Office notes that average global temperatures have risen by more than 1°C since the 1850s. 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 were the hottest years ever recorded. At the current rate of warming, the UK is projected to see warmer and wetter winters, hotter and drier summers, and more frequent and intense weather extremes. Sea levels around the UK will keep rising beyond 2100 and parts of the UK will be in danger of flooding, with low lying and coastal cities at a particular risk. Farming in the UK will also be at risk as a result of climate change.
We are very lucky to have loads of amazing green spaces around us in Bristol, so it's important that we keep it, and the wildlife living there, safe. At Hawkland, we are attempting to do this by pushing innovative sustainable building methods in the hopes of driving environmentally-friendly change throughout the UK built environment. If you want to learn about our ecological design and build methodology, you can read more here and here. Alternatively, get in touch via a free discovery session with our expert team to discuss your options.